Improvement in theater



s. MA'OKA YE. Theater Appliance] No. 222,l43.

Patented Dec. 2,1879.

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N. PIERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STAT S PATENT STEELE MAOKAYE, on NEW YORK, N.:Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN THEATER APPLIANCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,143, dated December2, 1879 application filed September 9, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEELE MACKAYE, of New York, county of New York;State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improved Theater Stageand Orchestra, which is fully set forth in the following specificationand accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front view of myimproved stage and orchestra; Fig. 2, a vertical section of thestagesxat line w w of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a plan or top view of the samewith the casing removed.

.The object of my invention is to facilitate the speedy setting of thescenery of different acts. of a stage play or opera, an economy of spacein the auditorium of a theater, and the concentration of light upon thestage with the least inconvenience to the audience.

These ends are accomplished by construct ing two movable stages, oneabove the other, with appliances for lifting and depressing the same,locating the orchestra above the proscenium with the stage-lights hidbeneath it, casting the light from above within, instead of from belowupon, the stage.

A represents the stage proper; B B, the flare of the proscenium thereof;0, the lower movable stage; D, the upper movable stage; E E E E, theguide-posts; H, movable stageframe; I I, the suspension-ropes; J J, thepulleys therefor; K K, the balance-weights; L, the hoisting-rope; 'M,its pulley; N, the drum; 0, the ratchet and pawl; P, the orchestra; R,the stage-lights; S, the automatic latch; T, its rod; U, the springthereon; Y,

the floor of the auditorium.

The operation of these contrivances and arrangements is this: Supposinglower movable stage, C, to be secured on a level with stage A, thescenes, furniture, and properties of the first and second scenes or actsof a play may be set on movable stages 0 and D. Atter the presentationof the first of these, automatic latch S is withdrawn by rod T and thepawl of ratchet O on drum N released, and both stages 0 and D lowered byrope L, passing over pulley M and drum N.

- The second scene or act may then. be given immediately from movablestage D, and while it is in progress the third scene or act will bestruck and changed on stage 0.

Upon the completion of the second act or scene stages 0 and D are raisedby the action of the apparatus before described, bringing stage 0, withthe third act or scene set there'- on, upon the level of stage A, readyto be presented to the audience.

While the third scene is being acted upon stage C the fourth scene isbeing struck and changed on stage Deready for presentation in its turnon the conclusion of the performance of scene three, and this process iscontinued until all the scenes and acts of the play have been performed.

The latches S S are automatic in their action in catching under a rafterof the stageframe, spring U returning them into their places as soon asthe bevelededge rafter, which in rising pushed them aside, has passedthe projection which constitutes the latch.

The extension of the rafters of the stage frame within the guide-postscauses them to serve also as guides to steady the stages in their riseand descent between the posts.

These compound stages may be divided and separately moved, instead oftogether, as herein explained, without departing from the leading ideaand principle of my invention, which is the organizing of double stagescapable of being separately operated upon at the same time forsuccessive presentation.

It will be seen that by this contrivance the time formerly lost betweenthe acts in setting the scene for the succeeding act will be saved, andthe audience spared the long and fatiguing waits that often intervenebetween the acts of elaborately-mounted plays at modern theaters.

The location of orchestra P above the stage, with concealed lights Rbeneath it reflecting inwardly directly upon the stage, accomplishes twodesirable ends: The space ordinarily given up to the orchestra in theauditorium is saved for the audience, and the stage-lights, which,however carefully screened, are necessarily an annoyance and an injuryto the eyes of many spectators, especially to those occupying places inthe boxes and upper tiers, are removed to a position Where their entireforce can be coning, securing, and balancing apparatus, concentrateddirect-1y upon the stage, the rays in struoted and adapted to operatetogether suball other directions being out off. stantiall y as and forthe purposes set forth.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 7 STEELE MAOKAYE" The combination of stage proper, A, inova-\Vitnesses:

bie stages 0 and D, connecting-frame H, and S. J. GORDON,

guide-posts E E E E, provided with a hoist- JOHN WV. RIPLEY.

